How to dispose of a mattress

Why mattress disposal needs some planning

A mattress will not fit in a wheelie bin, and bin crews will not normally take one left beside it. Leaving it in an alley or on the pavement can be treated as fly tipping, even outside your own house. There are several proper ways to dispose of a mattress, and specialist facilities can recycle much of one by separating the springs, foam and fabric. Which route suits you depends on the condition of the mattress, whether you have transport and how soon you need it gone.

• Buying a new mattress: ask the retailer about take-back
• No rush and able to carry it outside: council bulky waste collection
• Access to a large enough vehicle: household waste recycling centre
• Clean and in good condition: charity or reuse
• Upstairs, heavy or part of a bigger clear-out: licensed collection

Retailer take-back with a new mattress

Many bed and mattress retailers offer to take the old mattress away when they deliver the new one. There is usually a charge, and it normally has to be arranged when you order, not on the doorstep. Ask what condition the old mattress must be in and whether the delivery crew will bring it down from the bedroom. If you are replacing one mattress with another, this is often the least effort.

Take-back only helps if the timing works. If the new mattress is weeks away, or you bought it from a shop that does not deliver, you will need one of the other routes. Mattresses that arrive rolled in a box often come by courier, and couriers do not normally take the old one, though some of these sellers offer a separate collection.

Council bulky waste collection

Many councils run a bulky waste collection that takes mattresses, booked online or by phone. Most charge for it, and prices, waiting times and item limits differ from one council to the next, so check your own council's website. You normally have to leave the mattress outside the property on the collection day, which means getting it down the stairs yourself.

Council collections suit people who are not in a hurry and can manage the lifting. If you live in a flat, ask where the mattress should be left, because crews will not usually come inside a building. Keep the booking reference, and do not put the mattress out early. A mattress left on the pavement for days gets wet, attracts other rubbish and may be reported as fly tipping.

Taking a mattress to the recycling centre

Household waste recycling centres generally accept mattresses from residents. The difficulty is transport. A double mattress rarely fits inside a car, and rules on vans, trailers and hired vehicles vary, with some sites asking for a permit or a booking. Check before you travel.

1. Look on your council's website for the nearest site that takes mattresses and for any vehicle rules.
2. Measure the mattress and your vehicle before you carry anything downstairs.
3. Get help with the lifting, and take proof of address if the site asks for it.
4. Follow the staff's directions to the right container when you arrive.

If the mattress will not fit, do not be tempted to cut it up to squeeze it into a car. The springs are sharp once exposed and the job makes a great deal of mess. Borrowing a bigger vehicle, or choosing a collection instead, is the safer answer.

Donating a mattress in good condition

Reuse is better than recycling if the mattress has life left in it. Some furniture charities and reuse projects accept mattresses, but they are strict. It needs to be clean and free of stains and tears, and they will usually want the fire safety label still attached. Call first and describe it honestly. Friends, family and local giving groups are another option. The same goes for seating, covered in our guide on how to get rid of an old sofa. A mattress that is stained, sagging or has been near bed bugs should be recycled, not passed on.

Booking a licensed mattress collection

A paid collection usually costs more than the routes above, but it covers the carrying and can deal with several items at once. Our mattress collection takes the mattress from the bedroom, so you do not have to move it. Bed frames, divan bases and headboards can go on the same visit as a furniture removal, and people clearing a room often add a sofa removal or other large items as one bulky waste collection. Whoever you book, make these checks.

• Ask for the registration number and check the waste carrier licence on the public register.
• Get the price confirmed before the mattress is loaded.
• Request a receipt that names the company.
• Avoid anyone who cannot tell you where the mattress will be taken.

What happens to a mattress after collection

Mattresses that go through a proper route can be sent to specialist facilities that take them apart. Metal springs go for scrap, and foam, fibres and fabric are separated so the materials can be recovered where possible. A mattress handed to an unregistered collector may simply be dumped, and you can be held responsible if it is traced back to you. That is the reason the carrier check matters, even for a single item.